Machine gun rack



Nov. 2, 1937. w. H. TlMM I 2,097,939

MACHINE GUN RACK Filed May 29, 1936 Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE GUN RACK William H. Timm, Appleton, Wis. Application May 29, 1936, Serial No. $2,529 2 Claims (Cl. 211-53) This invention 'appertains to racks for "firearms, and more particularly to a novel machine gun rack. In armories and the like it is essential that the 5 machine guns be readily accessible and held'in such a, manner as to prevent accidental injury to their mechanisms, but provision must be made for preventing the taking and the use thereof by unauthorized persons.

It is, therefore, one of the salient objects of my invention to provide a novel rack for receiving and supporting a plurality of machine guns, with a unitary means for engaging and holding all of said guns against accidental displacement 1 6 and unauthorized use.

Another important object of my invention is the provision of a rack embodying a top frame for receiving and supporting a plurality of machine guns, with a swinging frame connected to 20 the top frame and movable over all of the guns for holding the guns on the top frame against movement, means being provided for locking the frames against movement by unauthorized persons.

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine gun rack of the above character, which will be durable and efiicient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placed upon the market at a 30 reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in View, the in- V vention consists in the novel construction, ar-

rangement, and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed,

5 and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in

which drawing:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of my improved gun rack, with the swinging frame in its partially raised position, the swinging frame being shown broken away and in section to illustrate structural detail.

Figure 2 is an endelevation of the rack with the swinging frame in its lowered position and locked against opening movement.

5 Figure 3 is a central transverse section through the rack with the top frame in its lowered position.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, the letter R generally indicates my improved rack for receiving a plurality of machine guns G.

The rack R comprises corner standards or legs 5, which can be formed from any desired material, such as angle iron. These legs are welded or otherwise secured to the toprigid frame 6. This top rigid frame 6 includes front and rear rails or bars I and 8 connected together by end barsS. All of these bars can be welded or otherwise secured together, and the top frame 6 can be further, braced by diagonally extending corher from 10, which lead to the legs.

The rear bar l is provided at spaced points with a. plurality of relatively small notches l i on its upper edge for receiving the rear ends of the machineguns adjacentto their end grips H2. The front bar "8 is provided with a plurality of relatively deep notches 13 in its upper edge for receiving the front ends of the machine gun barrels and their cooling "chambers,

From the description so far, it can be seen that the machine guns G extend transversely of the top frame R, and that the same rest in the notches H and I3, and are effectively supported in a horizontal plane.

Prior to the placing of the machine guns on the rack, their supporting tripods (not shown) are removed. The top frame adjacent to the rear bar I, has rigidly welded thereto a longitudinally extending trough M, which forms means for receiving the pivot and supporting ears formed on the body portions of the guns for the tripods.

In order to effectively hold the guns G in place on the top frame against accidental movement and to prevent unauthorized use, I provide a swinging frame [5. This swinging frame it includes spaced parallel front and rear bars 16 and I l. The terminals of these bars are con nected by means of hinge pins IS with upstanding ears l9 formed on or secured to the top frame 6 at one end thereof. The opposite end of the top frame at its corners has formed thereon or secured thereto pairs of spaced ears 2!], between which are adapted to be received the ends of the bars I6 and IT.

The ends of the bars I6 and I! that are re ceived between the pairs of cars 20 are provided with openings 2|, which are adapted to register with openings 22 in said ears 20, for a purpose which will be later set forth. The lower edges of the bars l6 and I1 are provided respectively with notches 23 and 24 for engaging over the machine guns, and obviously the notches 23 are formed much deeper than the notches 2 3 to conform to the shape of those parts of the guns which the bar l6 engages. A transversely extending end bar 25 can be rigidly connected to the bars l6 and I1 adjacent to the openings 2i,

versely extending bar 25 can be rovided with a manipulating handle 26.

Obviously, when the swinging frame I5 is in a raised swung-back position, the guns can be readily removed from the top frame or placed therein. When the topswinging frame I5 is in a lowered position, removal of the guns is prevented.

I have provided means for preventing swinging of the frame l5 by unauthorized persons, andthis means includes headed pins 21, which are adapted to be inserted through the openings 2| and 22. The ends of the pins remote from the heads are provided with openings 28 for receiving the shackle 29 of a suitable padlock 30. The pins 21 and the padlocks 30 can be connected to the rack by chains 3!, so as to prevent loss of these parts.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided an exceptionally simple and durable means for supporting a plurality of machine guns and for preventing the taking thereof by unscrupulous persons.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of my invention, but what I claim as new is:

1. A machine gun rack comprising a supporting base, a top frame rigidly connected to said base including front and rear bars having their upper edges provided with transversely alined notches for receiving parts of the machine guns, the notches conforming to the configuration of the parts of the guns engaged, a swinging frame including front and rear bars arranged directly above the front and rear bars of the top frame and having their lower edges provided with companion notches for the notches in the top frame and for engaging over parts of the machine guns,

means hingedly connecting the swinging frame at one end to one end of the top frame, the opposite end of the top frame being provided with pairs of upstanding apertured ears for receiving a part of the swinging frame therebetween, said parts of the swinging frame received between said ears having openings therein, pins detachably fitted in the openings in the ears and swinging frame, and padlocks for preventing the unauthorized removal of the pins from the ears.

2. A machine gun rack comprising a supporting base, a top frame rigidly connected to said base including front and rear bars having their upper edges provided with transversely alined notches for receiving parts of the machine guns, the notches conforming to the configuration of the parts of the guns engaged, a swinging frame including front and rear bars arranged directly above the front and rear bars of the top frame and having their lower edges provided with companion notches for the notches in the top frame and for engaging over parts of the machine guns, means hingedly connecting the swinging frame at one end to one end of the top frame, the opposite end of the top frame being provided with pairs of upstanding apertured ears for receiving a part of the swinging frame therebetween, said parts of the swinging frame received between said ears having openings therein, pins detachably fitted in the openings in the ears and swinging frame, and padlocks for preventing the unauthorized removal of the pins from the ears, said top frame also including a longitudinally extending trough for receiving the pivot tripod ears on the machine guns.

WILLIAM H. TIMM. 

